


The Perfect Prey

by Ophelia_Belle



Category: Final Fantasy XIV
Genre: Chases, Consensual But Not Safe Or Sane, F/M, Fear, Predator/Prey, Stabbing: most likely, sex tags to come
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-03
Updated: 2021-03-02
Packaged: 2021-03-15 22:01:49
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,555
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29815029
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ophelia_Belle/pseuds/Ophelia_Belle
Summary: Ophelia Belle, a miqo'te warrior of light, rushes off to Garlemald to see Zenos to offer him a proposition. He is willing to give her what she wants, if she gives him what he needs after being separated from her for so long.“Do you remember the moments before you took over that primal? Do you remember our conversation? You asked me if I accepted you. I do Zenos. I accept you for who and what you are. I accept that you are a monster, created by a family that never taught you love. I accept that the only thing that brings you joy is the hunt. I accept that to you, I’m the perfect prey.”
Relationships: Zenos yae Galvus/Warrior of Light (Final Fantasy XIV)/Original Character(s)
Kudos: 7





	The Perfect Prey

She wished that she had the forethought to mention where she was going to at least one person. As Ophelia traversed the mountains separating Garlemald from Gyr Abania, she regretted not divulging her plan to someone in the event that she never made it to the capitol. However she knew that they would only try to stop her and convince her to stay.

They seemed to often forget that the tiny miqo’te was indeed a warrior and fighter first. Despite her strength she was quite short with a slim build. Her silver blue hair, frequently worn in a simple ponytail. It was easy to forget just how fierce she was.

It had been ages since the last time she saw Zenos, the real Zenos. The way he left her had scarred her and sent her spiraling into a depression. Enemy or not, you can’t witness something like that and be okay.

Upon hearing the report from Estinien and Gaius, she hated to admit that her heart fluttered upon hearing that Zenos had returned to his body. Fighting Elidibus on the first only reaffirmed that it was Zenos in his body again.

The orange bird painfully squaked as they rounded a cliff on the mountain pass only to see that the trail carried painfully upwards. Ophelia patted her Chocobo affectionately. It had been so long since she had to walk this much, but the aether was painfully thin up here and she had no means to discover a way to harness it to make use of it’s currents.

As much as she wanted to press on, it was time to make camp and rest for the night. There was no use continuing with an exhausted mount.

It didn’t take long to set up camp. After spending so much time travelling, Ophelia knew what she needed to be comfortable. After tending to her bird, and eating a small meal of dried meat, she curled up next to the fire she built and felt herself slowly drifting to sleep.

She had no idea how much time had passed when she heard the familiar sound of a portal opening. She barely had time to react before a familiar voice broke the silence, “Ah, you just made my job so, so easy. I had hoped to elaborately lure you to my lord, but here you are, coming of your own will. Well the journey is longer than you bargained for, so why don’t we take a little shortcut back to my lord. He has been awaiting you.”

Asahi.

No. He’s dead.

Ophelia grunted as she was pulled from her sleep. 

“So which one are you?” she asked, massaging her temples in annoyance. At this point, she was so used to Ascians coming at her that one showing up hardly phased her. While she wished that she had white auracite for safety, knowing he was a sundered Ascian gave her confidence that even if she couldn’t properly slay him, she could make sure he had a very bad day.

“I am Fandaniel, I…” he began, attempting to introduce himself.

“Okay Fandaniel, cut your shit. Just take me to Zenos. I don’t want lengthy monologues or dramatic introductions. I get it. You’re an Ascian. You serve Zodiark. You want to cause chaos. Just do your thing,” she said, making it clear that she had a singular objective to get to Zenos. After dealing with everything on the first, he seemed more of an annoyance than an obstacle at this point.

“Not quite,” he said, with a malicious smile on his face, “However I will do as you wish, and deliver you to my lord.”

As annoying as his presence was, she was grateful for how fast his appearance made her travel. The journey would have probably taken ages on foot. As annoying as it was to have to deal with another Ascian, one so clearly unhinged as this one, she was looking forward to seeing Zenos again.

She felt her body being sucked into the void along with Fandaniel and then suddenly she felt that air pop as it expelled them into the middle of the Garlean Palace’s throne room.

The first thing Ophelia noticed was that the great hall was unbelievably silent. In most cases, she could hear and feel the lives going on around her, even if they weren’t in the room with her. However the palace just felt dead. There was no one, except the Ascian behind her, and Zenos sitting on the throne before her.

It took her awhile before she spoke. She took a moment to look upon this man that had occupied a portion of her thoughts for so long. He looked cold and emotionless. His eyes gazed blankly towards a wall and his lips turned downward. The thrill and passion that she knew so well from him, were gone. 

Her heart hurt, seeing him like this. He had always seemed so full of life and passion when they fought. Now, the fire within him was gone.

“Zenos,” Ophelia spoke his name, breaking the silence of the air. 

The instant her voice echoed against the walls, Zenos’s face morphed. His eyes focused on the tiny miqo’te. His lips slowly curled upward.

“Well, isn’t this a surprise?” his voice purred, “a most pleasant and amazing surprise. I wasn’t expecting you for a long while, but it seems like that Ascian isn’t completely useless.”

“Well to be fair, I was on my way, but he did speed up my journey,” Ophelia informed him, with a grin on her face.

“So, not completely useless,” Zenos looked towards Fandaniel, “Leave us.”

He opened his mouth as if to protest, but quickly realized that even as an Ascian, he was outmatched in strength by the two, more powerful warriors. He exited into the void, leaving Zenos and Ophelia alone.

Now that she was here, in Garlemald, she felt the butterflies in her stomach. She had rehearsed what she wanted to say in her mind many times. However, being here, in front of Zenos; it made it harder for her to voice her desires.

He still made no effort to move, even though the joy was obvious on his face.  
He spoke first, “You know, this is not how I envisioned our reunion. I envisioned us, on the battlefield. I have waited for the moment that our blades might clash again, so that I might feel that invigoration once again.”

“You wish to fight me again?” Ophelia asked, “You know I’m stronger now. I killed your great grandfather. I killed that demon who once wore your skin. I could probably kill you myself now.”

Of course, she didn’t want to. She knew what she was doing. She hardly enjoyed bragging about killing Emet-Selch or Elidibus. However, she was drawing out Zenos’s interest.

“However, that’s not why I’m here,” Ophelia continued, slowly approaching the throne, “Do you remember the moments before you took over that primal? Do you remember our conversation? You asked me if I accepted you. I do Zenos. I accept you for who and what you are. I accept that you are a monster, created by a family that never taught you love. I accept that the only thing that brings you joy is the hunt. I accept that to you, I’m the perfect prey.”

She continued to cautiously approach. Zenos remained still, but his eyes followed her hungrily.

Ophelia reached the dais and continued her slow approach, slowly dropping her guard and relaxing in his presence.

“I will fight you Zenos. I will give you what you want. However, I first want you to give me what I want,” Ophelia stopped directly in front of Zenos.

“Oh?” his voice ticked upward in interest as his eyes focused on the tiny miqo’te standing before him. 

Her ears were cautiously lowered as she got closer and closer to Zenos. She swallowed the lump in her throat as she was finally close enough to touch him.

“What is it...that you want?” Zenos shifted in the throne, giving Ophelia his full attention. 

Ophelia slowly slid her jacket from her shoulders, allowing it to fall to the floor. Her fingers fumbled as she bent over to loosen the buckles on her boots. She slid them off her feet, standing before Zenos in a plain dress. 

She slid her left knee to the side of Zenos’s leg and gazed into his eyes to gauge his reaction as she leaned in close. Her right hand hesitated as she reached to pull herself up.

He moved quickly, his keen reflexes startling her. His hand closed quickly around her wrist, and hoisted her up by her arm so that her face was inches from his. 

His bored face shifted to amusement.

“Well, well my friend. You know I’m used to women making fools of themselves by throwing their bodies at me. I would have never considered you to be on their level,” he smiled as he watched her squirm against his grip, “Of course there is a difference. They bored me. Women who wished to mate because of my looks or because I’m a prince are all quite dull and hardly worth my time and consideration. Why do you come before me? Do you expect me to be won over with pure lust? Do you think I’m just going to confess my love for you?”

Zenos further shifted her body, using his other hand to grip her jaw and steel her eyes upon his.

“No, I didn’t expect, nor do I want that,” Ophelia grunted as she panted against his grip.

“What did you come here for?” Zenos seemed skeptical, however he was willing to see just what she had to offer him.

“I came...to be fucked...with the same ferocity of our fight,” she never lowered her gaze against his. His grip against her made the desire in her belly burn brighter.

Zenos took his time answering. He seemed to be considering his options. He did not want to kill Ophelia, that would ruin his fun. Considering that she was currently unarmed and wearing regular clothes, a fight would be dull and one sided.

He continued to pull her arm higher and tightened his grip against her jaw. His eyes narrowed as he looked down upon the Miqo’te’s body. 

His fingers released her jaw and his hand took that moment to tear the dress she was wearing from her petite frame, leaving her in only her small clothes.

Ophelia shivered against the cold air of the throne room against her skin. The goosebumps spread like wildfire across her skin and she shivered in his grip.

Zenos released her wrist from above her head, allowing her to spill onto the floor.

“Run,” he whispered.

“E...excuse me?” she stuttered, unsure of what this meant for his answer.

“Run, and you best not let me catch you my beast,” a smile stretched across his face. The red eyes of his resonant glowed, showing that he did not intend to play fair.

It took a few moments for Ophelia to realize what Zenos was asking of her. He was at an advantage. She could feel the lack of life in the palace. There was not a pulse of life anywhere. There is no doubt that even without his Resonant abilities, he would be able to hunt her down no problem.

She had no idea what his command meant for her request, but she realized that she needed to break for the doors at the back of the hall. She was thankful for one thing at least. The last time she attuned her soul to one of those stones, with all the memories of abilities, she had selected her dancer stone. That at least put her at an advantage to put as much space as possible between her and Zenos.

En Avant one.

En Avant two.

En Avant three.

Three dashes and she was to the back of the room.

Peloton.

These words sent her running blindly through the palace. 

She could tell that he hadn’t bothered to stand up yet. Why would he bother? If he began the chase too soon, it would be over too early and he wouldn’t have any fun at all. No, he wanted her to run. He needed to hunt. He wanted to taste her fear in the air.

As she ran, she noticed all the doors along the long hallway. She was tempted to open one and hide, however that would cause his hunt to be over too soon. 

Her footfalls were soft as she ran on the tips of her toes, occasionally dashing forward when she had the energy available. 

The main hallway seemed never ending. There were doors, only doors as far as she could see. Pausing, she looked behind herself and noticed she could still see the large double doors of the throne room. She needed to find a hallway to dash down fast. If Zenos began the chase, it would be over too quickly.

The marble floors of the palace slowly turned to metal and she realized that she was leaving the private residence portion of the Garlean palace, and was moving to the more military and research wings.

She finally reached some stairs. She knew nothing of what she would meet in those lower levels, but she knew that it would increase her odds of being able to hide from Zenos. If she was lucky she might even be able to find some sort of weapon.

Not that she wanted to hurt him.

Her feet quickly and softly descended down the metal steps, bringing her to a large research facility, completely enclosed by glass.

This would do no good for hiding from Zenos. The hunt would be over the second he reached the end of the hallway.

Ophelia turned helplessly, feeling like a caged rat, desperately trying to find an escape. She turned facing the stairs and spotted a doorway.

Please be unlocked.

She approached slowly, hoping the handle would give under her hand.

She knew the research wings had to continue all the way back the way she came. Ophelia guessed she should have ample opportunities to hide if she needed. She knew she couldn’t leave the palace. She had to just keep running as far as she could.

Once she broke into the research wing, Ophelia saw more possibilities for cover. While there were many windows and cells, there were plenty of places that she could duck and hide. 

She lightly pushed off her toes as she darted down the corridors. Every time she got to the end of a hallway, she would turn, looking to see if she could still see the entrance below the stairs through the windows. She continued on, dashing across the metal floors putting as much space between her and Zenos as she could.

Continuing forward, she finally heard it.

Heavy footsteps, thumping...ahead of her.

No, no that’s not possible. They have to be behind me.

Ophelia pressed on. Slowly tiptoeing down the hallway, holding her breath so that she could hear the footsteps clearly.

Thud. Thud. 

Creek.

The screech of the metal being driven against the metal floor told Ophelia that he was armed. 

Thud. Thud.

Screeek.

“Oh beast, maybe I should have mentioned that there is a separate stairwell down to the research zone from behind the throne,” his voice rings out dangerously close. 

Of course there is an easier way to get down here.

Ophelia backed up, ducking below a window and holding her breath so that Zenos couldn’t hear her uneven gasps for air

If I crawl, I should be able to enter an experimentation chamber and hide. I just have to hope that he doesn’t hear or see the door open.

Thud.

A vibration strikes the wall next to her right ear.

Thud.

A second vibration strikes beside her left ear.

Ophelia gasped to hold her tension down, but it was no use. She could see the tip of his sword piercing the wood.

“Ah! I found you,” his voice rang out in elation. 

There was no point in trying to hide anymore. 

The tiny miqo’te stood with her ears flattened against her head, facing the predator behind the window.

Like a coeurl ready to pounce, his eyes dilate as he sees his prey.

“Good, good my beast, I smell the fear in you like a wounded karakul before a snow wolf,” his voice playfully cuts through the glass, “But I hope you aren’t giving up so soon. Go on, make me earn my prize.”

It was all a game.

The realization hit Ophelia. Zenos fully intended to give her what she wanted. He planned to take her as passionately and violently as he last fought with her. This wasn’t survival. This was foreplay.

The rules have changed.

Ophelia turned, and began her next dashes down the hallway, this time removing the bra holding her breasts to her chest. She threw the garment at him as she turned a corner. If he was indeed hunting, tracking her scent would prove to be more satisfying than the sound of her footsteps alone.

She heard an approving growl behind her as he picked up her bra, heavily soiled with her sweat and musk. As Zenos temporarily took his eyes off his prey, Ophelia took this moment to dart into one of the experimentation chambers. 

She had hoped there was more than one entrance to the room, possibly one for researchers to move freely through, like the one she entered through; and hopefully a second entrance leading to wherever test subjects were usually kept.

The small room was bare except for a low medical table in the center and racks of metal tools on the wall. It was rather dark in the unused room, so it was hard for her to make out what all the special instruments were. She debated looking for something to use as a weapon, but instead decided that distraction would potentially work best for her.

Ophelia took a moment and hooked her thumbs under the band of her smallclothes, pulling them down her legs. She wanted Zenos to know he was on the right trail. She knew he needed small rewards along the way. This reward, marked with her strongest scent and pheromones, would remind him why she was here.

The way out of the experimentation chamber was behind a simple curtain and led to a long, damp corridor. She could tell it was the palace’s dungeon, where they kept enemies and beasts. There was nowhere else to run to now. She could have used the passages there to take her to another experimentation room and continue her long run from Zenos.

She chose to wait.

She stood behind the simple curtain and watched a light on the wall that would tell her when the door opened. She closed her eyes and tried to just listen against the sound of her blood rushing through her veins. 

She could smell her own arousal. The smell tickled her nose and she dragged a finger between her legs, discovering how soaked she was. She wanted to lie down on that chair, spread her legs and just wait.

Zenos would stab you, no questions asked if you do that.

Even waiting here was taking a risk of ending his hunt prematurely.

Wait. Once he enters, hit the curtain and run behind to the next room. Go out to the hall. 

It seemed like a solid plan to her. As much as she wanted to let him catch her, she knew he needed to be the one to pounce and claim his prize.

The triangle of light on the wall finally grew and she heard Zenos’s heavy steps enter the room. She did her best to peer into the room, to see him. 

Zenos had shed his clothes during the last part of their chase, most likely to improve his speed, not in anticipation of claiming his prize. He currently only wore a pair of leather trousers and boots. 

He could sense that she was near. Her scent of fear and arousal lingered in the air. He could hear shallow breaths disturbing the air nearby.

Zenos slowly turned around in the room examining everything in it, noticing what she had left him in the room.

“Ah my beast, what a debauched whore,” he muttered to himself, picking up her dirty smallclothes.

He took a moment to run his finger down the slick soaked crotch, seeing proof of her desire of him. Desire for him to catch her and claim her.

Ophelia watched Zenos bring them to his face, and inhale deeply, allowing her aroused scent to envelop him. She could see him swell beneath his leather trousers. 

It’s time.

Ophelia hit the curtain and turned.

En Avant one…

En Avant two…

It was enough to get her away from that curtain.

She was not prepared for how fast he would rip through the curtain the second he saw it move. 

Ophelia paused from dashing away when she heard him. His eyes glowed red with the resonant. His hunt was over. It didn’t matter where she went now, he would see her. 

En Avant…

Before she could make her final dash away from Zenos, he had claimed her.


End file.
